


Standing on Formality

by HowShouldIKnowboutLife



Series: Tiny Zoscamid Stories [3]
Category: Rusty Quill Gaming (Podcast)
Genre: Multi, Pet Names, Sort Of, Terms of Enderment, giving you emotions about the emotions behind words, short and sweet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-24
Updated: 2020-03-24
Packaged: 2021-02-28 21:54:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 262
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23194318
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HowShouldIKnowboutLife/pseuds/HowShouldIKnowboutLife
Summary: Oscar is a man of many words, but he always makes sure to choose them carefully, especially when speaking to his partners.
Relationships: Hamid Saleh Haroun Al-Tahan/Oscar Wilde (Rusty Quill Gaming), Zolf Smith/Oscar Wilde (Rusty Quill Gaming), Zolf Smith/Oscar Wilde (Rusty Quill Gaming)/Hamid Saleh Haroun al-Tahan
Series: Tiny Zoscamid Stories [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1666405
Comments: 8
Kudos: 27





	Standing on Formality

**Author's Note:**

  * For [kristsune](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kristsune/gifts).



> Another chat fic! This one came about because kris and I were talking about Oscar and terms of endearment. Oscar uses "Mr. Smith" in their zoscar fics ([here](https://archiveofourown.org/works/23046145) & [here](https://archiveofourown.org/works/23289982)) and i was struck by the need to get #deep with it. So here ya go!
> 
> Lemmie know what u think (^_^)!

Oscar sweetly calls Zolf “Mr. Smith”, because Oscar admires him and wants Zolf to see that he is worthy of all respect. Oscar can say the formal name with so much more meaning than he could use otherwise because hiding his feelings behind formality is just how he lives his life. he knows the right way to speak so that the people who really listen can hear exactly what he's not saying, see exactly which parts of himself he's not showing; Zolf knows how to see through his words into the meaning behind. That's why it works so well for them.

For the same reasons, such formality _doesn't_ work with Hamid. Hamid grew up where people hide crass intentions behind classy words and that tone of voice, especially when referring to him in the same way he's always heard his father called, makes his skin crawl and his stomach churn. He is neither his father, nor the man who surrounded himself with such falsity. So Oscar doesn't call him “Mr. al-Tahan”. Instead he just uses "Hamid". It reminds Hamid that he is his own person now, he makes his own decisions and he himself will be responsible for them. And it allows Oscar a chance to demonstrate his love with every call; pulling bravery from the knowledge that he won't be rejected for failing, he makes obvious his feelings, not hiding behind any sort of mask. With every time he says "Hamid" he puts the softer side of himself on display, trusting the halfling to protect him; and every time, Hamid does.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Standing on Formality [podfic]](https://archiveofourown.org/works/23551213) by [KD reads (KDHeart)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/KDHeart/pseuds/KD%20reads)




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